Patent Application
20180116886
The present disclosure relates generally to mobility assistance devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to assistance devices, such as bed handle or rail devices, which may assist individuals in positioning themselves onto and securing themselves in beds or on similar furniture.
The embodiments disclosed herein will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings depict primarily generalized embodiments, which embodiments will be described with additional specificity and detail in connection with the drawings in which:
Bed handle or rail support systems and devices configurable in an operable configuration and a storage configuration are disclosed herein. It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments as generally described below and illustrated in the figures herein could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of various embodiments, as described below and represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, but is merely representative of various embodiments. While the various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.
The phrases “operably connected to,” “connected to,” and “coupled to” refer to any form of interaction between two or more entities, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, fluid, and thermal interaction. Two entities may interact with each other even though they are not in direct contact with each other. For example, two entities may interact with each other through an intermediate entity, unless specified as directly interacting.
Mobility assistance devices may generally refer to pieces of medical equipment used to assist individuals with disabilities and/or other infirmities, including conditions incident to accidents, disease, age, or other causes. Mobility assistance devices may be designed to help individuals get into and out of reclining, sitting, and/or prone positions. For example, a mobility assistance device may be coupled to a bed or other piece of furniture designed for one to sit, lie down, or sleep upon. Furthermore, mobility assistance devices, such as bed rails, may also secure an individual in or on a piece of furniture, such as a bed, such that the individual is less likely to accidentally fall off the piece of furniture. Mobility assistance devices may be used in various environments, including in connection with a bed as a bed rail device.
In some instances, manufacturers of mobility assistance devices may desire to compactly package the devices for mass retail sale. Likewise, retailers may desire compact device storage to aid in optimizing profit per retail space, as products which are packaged in bulky containers, yet have a relatively small profit margin, may negatively impact profit per retail space.
Some mobility assistance devices are comprised of two sections: a base section and an upright section. The base section may form a plane configured to couple to a piece of furniture; for example, the base section may be configured to fit between a mattress or cushion and the support frame of a piece of furniture, such as between the mattress and box springs or foundation of a bed. The upright section may form a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the base, and may include a handle configured to be graspable by a user. Each of these sections may be sized so as to provide sufficient support for the intended function of the mobility assistance device. In some embodiments, each section may be quite large. Accordingly, mobility assistance devices may be packaged in substantially bulky containers, thus potentially resulting in a negative impact on the profit per retail space of mass retailers that carry mobility assistance devices.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a collapsible mobility assistance device and method of packaging which may allow for decreased package size. The mobility assistance device of the present disclosure may collapse down to a plurality of pieces sized such that they may be packaged in flat, planar packaging having a thickness as small as or approximates the thickness of a single piece. The upright section may break down into two or more pieces and the base may break down into two or more pieces, such that, when all the pieces are arranged in the storage (packaged) configuration, no piece is stacked upon any other piece. Thus, in some embodiments the package may only have the thickness of a single piece of the mobility assistance device.
The present disclosure may also optimize the number of parts into which the mobility assistance device separates. Optimization is not necessarily reducing the size of the pieces (which could result in a corresponding increase in the number of pieces) for the mobility assistance device to maintain desired operational dimensions. While the disclosure may optimize the number of pieces, it is not limited to breaking the product into more pieces to achieve a smaller packaged form. Optimization broadly means minimizing the number of pieces while simultaneously achieving a minimally sized package; this may be accomplished by making the pieces in similar sizes, in particular shapes, in certain embodiments.
Referring to
The base section 12 may be separated into two base components 18a, 18b. In some embodiments, a strap 20 may be provided that attaches two ends of the base components 18a, 18b. Base components 18a, 18b may be bent such that the base portions when unattached lay flat, but can be configured so that an end of each of the base components 18a, 18b is generally in an upright configuration when attached to the upright section 14 in an operative configuration.
In some embodiments, the base section 12 may be configured to couple device 10 to a piece of furniture. For example, it may be configured to be disposed under a cushion-type portion of a piece of furniture. The strap 20 may be used to attach the mobility assistance device 10 directly to the furniture. For example, if the mobility assistance device 10 is placed under a mattress, the strap 20 may be used to attach to the mobility assistance device 10 a bed frame the mattress is sitting on. The base components 18a, 18b may also include grip portions 34. The grip portions 34 limit the movement of the mobility assistance device when coupled to the piece of furniture. This helps prevent the mobility assistance 10 from moving relative to the furniture.
The upright section 14 includes a curved or arched component 22. Arched component 22 attaches the two ends of base components 18a, 18b so that the ends of the base components 18a, 18b extend generally in an upright position in a plane perpendicular to a base plane. The two ends of the base components 18a, 18b are inclined toward one another in that plane, such that the ends of the base components 18a, 18b attached to the arched component 22 are not parallel. The other end portions of the base components 18a, 18b are substantially parallel. That is, the space between the upright ends of the base components 18a, 18b may be smaller than the space between the other ends of the base components 18a, 18b connected to the strap 20. Furthermore, according to one embodiment the portion of the base components 18a, 18b that are substantially parallel (underneath a mattress or cushion) are not interconnected with a rigid cross member. In the embodiment shown in
Attached to the upright section is an adjustable handle 16. The handle 16 may be adjusted in height. The handle 16 includes an elongate member 24 with a plurality of holes 32 provided along the elongate member 24. The elongate member 24 may attach to the arched component 22 via a bracket 26 and fasteners 28. Attached to the elongate member 24 is a handle portion 30 configured to be graspable by a user, which may be configured to support a user during movement.
In one embodiment, the elongate member 24 is a single post and is the only structure extending from the handle 16 toward the base section 12. Such a configuration can limit entrapment by a user who inadvertently rolls or falls off a bed.
The handle portion 30 contains multiple portions designed to be grasped or graspable by a user. In the embodiment depicted in
Any of the portions or components of the mobility assistance device 10 (for example, components 18a, 18b, 22, 24, 26, and 30) may be coupled together through any method or means known in the art. For example, a person of ordinary skill in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will recognize that any suitable connector or connector means, including, but not limited to, a clip, a clamp, a detent, threads, a screw, a bracket, or any combination thereof may be used to couple the portions together.
Referring to
In some embodiments, the components of the mobility assistance device 10 may be sized and designed such that they may be broken down and arranged in a substantially coplanar orientation. That is, the configuration, size and/or arrangements of the portions of the mobility assistance device 10 allow the mobility assistance device 10 to be packaged in a container having a thickness only large enough to accommodate a single layer of pieces. That is, in some embodiments, no piece is disposed on top of, or underneath, any other piece. Thus, a container, such as a box, sized to accommodate the collapsible mobility assistance.
In the embodiment shown in
Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in
Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the present disclosure to its fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and exemplary and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art, and having the benefit of this disclosure, that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/416,529 filed Nov. 2, 2016, titled BED HANDLE SUPPORT SYSTEM, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62416529 | Nov 2016 | US |
